Match Report

St Ives Town v Basford United

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  22-10-2022

The Lions came with a game plan that Ives supporters of old would have recognised very well. A goalkeeper with a massive boot on him and a large and powerful centre forward. It looked like this route one tactic with others picking up the pieces from knock downs by the powerful target man Gregg Smith was going to get them maximum reward until two minutes from time when right back Owen Betts inexplicably grabbed a loose ball deep inside his own box. The defender was probably hoping to be awarded a free kick as he felt that he had been nudged in the air by Jonny Edwards but referee Gary Connell was in the perfect position to see and his verdict was that the unfortunate Betts had not only conceded a penalty but also earned himself a red card for denying the striker a shot on goal. He was looking on from the tunnel as Edwards kept his composure to beat keeper Kieran Preston from the spot to earn Ives a deserved point.

With Myles Cowling recalled from his loan spell by Cambridge United after his sterling performances in the last few games Ives manager Ricky Marheineke recalled the ever reliable Ed Hottor back into the centre of the park alongside skipper Michael Richens. The only other change from last weeks unfortunate FA Cup defeat at the hands of Halifax was a return for Nabil Shariff joining Edwards in a front two at the expense of Greg Kaziboni who dropped to the bench.

The game started with both sides looking like they wanted to get the ball down and play on the excellent surface. Anthony Dwyer could easily have put the visitors in front in fourth minute as he ghosted between Ives centre backs to get on the end of Courey Grantham’s delightful clip in from the right. Fortunately for the hosts he failed to hit the target. Enoch Andoh spurned an equally good opportunity to grab the opening goal at the other end as he got on the end of a clip over the top by Michael Richens and got past Betts. The little winger drew keeper Preston to him but his shot when it came was at an ideal saving height and the Lions stopper stuck out a paw to block it low to his left.

The opening exchanges continued to swing end to end and Johnny Herd made an excellent recovery to block a fierce shot from Grantham at point blank range in twelfth minute. The rebound dropped to Betts who blazed over from 15 yards. Five minutes later at the other end Preston was again called into action getting down well to his right to hang onto a 25 yarder from Richens.

But from the midpoint in the first half Ives began to get on top as they continued to deal effectively with the visitor’s long ball tactic whilst starting to carve out some chances of their own. Edwards went close to catching out keeper Preston in 21^st minute as he outmuscled Dom Roma to get on the end of a ball over the top. His attempt to chip Preston from 35 yards was only inches over the top. Andoh continued to cause problems down the left and he almost got away again in 25^th minute. He got past Betts but was taken down by the covering Grantham. Dylan Williams free kick forced its way through the Lions wall but was well held by Preston. Richens also fired in a 30 yard screamer that was only a couple of feet wide.

The visitors only opportunity in this long spell of pressure from Ives came in 33^rd minute when Dwyer was taken down on the left by Kane Lewis. Adam Chapman’s well struck free kick deflected off the wall and home keeper James Goff reacted well to turn it over the bar.

With time running out in the first half Edwards again showed his goal scoring prowess as his sheer persistence put Ives ahead. Involved in the initial move he fed the ball out to Andoh on the left. The winger’s cross found its way to the centre forward just inside the box. His initial shot was blocked but he swung a left boot at the rebound catching out keeper Preston as the ball bobbled into the corner of the net with the keeper rooted.

Having got their noses in front we expected Ives to pile on the pressure in search of a second in the early stages of the second period. But that was not to be as it was the visitors who lifted themselves to enjoy a good spell. In 51^st minute the dangerous Dwyer got on the end of a ball in from the left by Ben Starkie and found space to turn and shoot from the edge of the box but fortunately the effort went straight into Goff’s midriff. Chapman went even closer to an equaliser four minutes later. Josh Barnes corner from the right fell to him inside the box and his goal bound effort was blocked inside the six yard box by Callum Milne with the ball then scrambled to safety.

Andoh was continuing to probe down the left and looked Ives most likely option for a second goal on the break. He combined well with Williams on the hour. Picking up a return ball inside the box he could only toe poke his effort wide. Worse was to follow for the tricky winger in 71^st minute as he cut in from the left weaving his way past Betts and Roma before losing his footing as he went to shoot. Keeper Preston picked up the loose ball and delivered a towering punt down the park. For once Ives combined forces were not in place to pick up the rebound off Smith. The ball fell to Grantham who fed in his skipper Matt Thornhill his first touch was a good one and second saw him clip the ball past the advancing Goff to level things up.

Things then went from bad to worse for the hosts as Preston’s very next punt down the park came off Smith and fell to substitute Tyreace Palmer who beat Goff emphatically with a powerful first time strike from just outside the box.

To their credit Ives reacted well to going behind and spent the next ten minutes camped around the Lions box as long throws and corners reined in from both sides of the pitch. Jordan Williams twice went close. Firing over from just inside the box as Milne’s shot rebounded off a defender to him in 80^th minute and three minutes later steering his diving header just wide as he got on the end of Richens clip into the box from the left.

But with all of the pressure on the visitor’s goal Ives did have one let off with five minutes to go. Herd misjudged a clearance and Starkie looked like he was going to race clear only for the full back to scythe him down. Thanks to Lewis’s attempts to get around and cover the card for the Ives full back was only yellow. 

Then came the dramatic close to the game courtesy of Betts momentary aberration and Edwards cool head. The initial cross into the box from the right by substitute Greg Kaziboni was aimed at Edwards and he climbed for it at the back post with Betts. The defender falling on the loose ball as he came down and almost instinctively making a grab for it as Edwards who had stayed on his feet went to prod it towards goal. 

This result leaves both sides sitting just outside the play off places in a very tight division with Ives in eighth and their opponents one place and one point above them. Next Saturday Ives entertain sixth place Rushall Olympic as they look to get back to winning ways at the quattro-tech Westwood Road 

Final Score: St Ives Town  2   Basford United  2

Goals: 

ST IVES: Edwards 43 & 89 (pen)

BASFORD: Thornhill 71, Palmer 73

Team Line Ups:

ST IVES: Goff, Lewis, Herd, Richens (capt), J. Williams, Milne, Shariff (Johnston 86), Hottor, Edwards, D. Williams (Baker 66), Andoh (Kaziboni 82), Unused subs: Saka

BASFORD: Preston, Betts, Barnes, Thornhill (capt), Roma, Irvine, Grantham (Munakandafa 71, McGowan 90), Chapman, Smith, Dwyer (Palmer 66), Starkie, Unused subs: Musson, Bertram

Cards: Yellow: ST IVES: Richens (68), Herd (85)    BASFORD: Grantham (25), Barnes (36), Thornhill (48)

             Red: BASFORD: Betts (89)

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH:  Ed Hottor

Attendance:  185

Match Report by Nigel Howlett. Interview by Andrew Dunn. Video by Ollie Jones. Photos by Louise Thompson.